METHOD OF FORMING PATTERNS ON CONCRETE SURFACE AND DECORATION MAT USED FOR THE METHOD

Abstract

 In the decoration mat of this invention, a large number of colored particles are distributed on a rugged pattern transfer surface through an adhesive layer the bonding power of which decreases upon water absorption. A method of forming a pattern on a concrete surface according to this invention comprises pouring a concrete material using the rugged pattern transfer surface of the decoration mat as a contact surface with the concrete surface, reducing the bonding power of the adhesive layer by the moisture of the concrete material, transferring and burying the colored particles into the concrete surface, and forming the concrete surface into the rugged pattern surface by the transfer of the rugged pattern transfer surface. In the method of this invention, the bonding power of the adhesive layer is reduced by the moisture of the concrete material during aging and curing after pouring, and the colored particles retained by the adhesive layer are transferred to, and buried into, the surface layer of the concrete material. Accordingly, colors of natural color tones can be expressed on the surface layer of the concrete molded article. Since the colored particles do not undergo discoloration, fading and deterioration, a rugged pattern retaining high durability for a long time can be obtained.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of patterning a concrete surface and to a pattern transfer mat for use in the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Heretofore the following procedure has been employed for producing an attractive three-dimensional pattern on a concrete surface. First, a mat (a pattern transfer mat) 10, such as the one illustrated in Fig. 4, is provided. This transfer mat 10 is composed of a rigid urethane foam and has an effective transfer surface 13 formed with an aesthetic three-dimensional pattern on one side and a flat back surface 14 on the other side. This transfer mat 10 has a foam layer 11 inside thereof and an integral skin layer 12 on the surface portion. This integral skin 12 layer is substantially free of air cells or, if any, has very little fine air cells, and very dense in high concentration compared with that of the foam layer 11 and smooth. The above-mentioned undulation of the pattern transfer surface 13 is formed on this smooth surface of the integral skin layer 12. At the job site or in the field, a parting agent is applied to said transfer surface 13 of the transfer mat 10, and the transfer mat 10 and a casting form 16 are positioned in a state of face-to-face direction as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the side openings and bottom openings (not shown) between the form 16 and the mat 10 are closed with boards and the like and concrete material 15 is poured from the top opening. The numerical number 17 is a board. The concrete material 15 is then allowed to harden and to make the concrete material 15 into a concrete board on structure 18. As shown in Fig. 6, the concrete structure 18 is then detached from the mat 10. The surface of the concrete 18 thus obtained has the three-dimensional pattern of said mat 10 copied on its surface. Finally this sculptured concrete surface is finished, for example by spraying with a suitable coating composition, to give a further natural-looking surface.

[0003] However, since the coating material used in the above process is usually an organic composition and the organic coating film tends to discolor or fade or undergo degradation with time, the surface of the concrete cannot be as durable as the surface of, for example, a masonry of inorganic material (such as natural rock). Moreover, it is necessary to recoat the surface at certain intervals and the cost of maintenance including this "refreshing" work is substantial.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a method of patterning a concrete surface, which is capable of producing a natural-looking pattern or texture and the like durable for a long term and unnecessary to recoat, on a concrete surface, and to a pattern transfer mat for use in the method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The above object is accomplished by the present invention. In a first aspect, the invention relates to a method of patterning a concrete surface which comprises preparing a pattern transfer mat wherein a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are distributed on a surface thereof (hereinafter referred to sometimes as the effective surface) through an adhesive layer whose binding force is decreased by absorbing water, casting concrete material against the effective surface of said mat which comes into contact with the concrete material, decreasing the binding force of the adhesive layer by water of the concrete material, transferring and embedding the aesthetic grains onto the concrete surface thereby, and forming the concrete surface into three-dimensional pattern form on the concrete surface by transferring the effective surface. In a second aspect, the invention relates to a pattern transfer mat wherein a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are distributed on an effective transfer surface formed with an aesthetic three-dimensional pattern through an adhesive layer whose binding force is decreased by absorbing water.

[0006] In accordance with the invention, a pattern transfer mat wherein a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are distributed on its effective surface through an adhesive layer whose binding force is decreased by absorbing water is employed and concrete material is cast against the effective surface, and the binding force of the adhesive layer is decreased by water of the concrete material and the aesthetic grains are transferred and embedded onto the concrete surface thereby, at the same time, three-dimensional pattern form of a concrete surface can be obtained by transferring the effective surface into the concrete surface. During curing and hardening after casting the concrete material as mentioned above, the aesthetic grains hold in the adhesive layer are transferred into a surface layer of the concrete material which is under process of hardening and are embedded partially or completely by decreasing the binding force of the adhesive layer by absorbing water of the concrete material. In this way, a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are embedded in a surface of a patterned concrete product, whereby colors such as natural-looking color and the like are appearing on the surface, and also its surface becomes a natural-looking effective surface by transferring three-dimensional pattern into the surface. In this case, the aesthetic grains embedded in the surface layer are not tend to discolor or fade or undergo degradation with time, resulting in an excellent and long-term durability. Therefore, recoating and the like at certain intervals are not necessary in contrast to a prior art, resulting in decreasing the cost of maintenance.

[0007] The present invention is now described in further detail.In this invention, rigid polyurethane foam resin is employed as material for the above mat (a pattern transfer mat), whereby the mat is formed into a mat with sufficient mechanical strength against concrete material to be poured into when casting.

[0008] The adhesive layer is formed by coating adhesive or binder onto the effective surface of the mat. A water-soluble adhesive such as methylcellulose or polyvinyl alcohol is employed as the adhesive most preferably. Then, the resulting thickness of the coated film thereby is formed within 0.1 to 5 mm.

[0009] The aesthetic grains may for example be crushed colorful natural rocks and so on. As method for distributing a multiplicity of aesthetic grains onto the adhesive layer, following methods are used: a method of adhering a multiplicity of aesthetic grains to the adhesive layer by pressure-spray; a method comprising steps of distributing a multiplicity of aesthetic grains to the adhesive layer, embedding them into the layer by press or the like, and anchoring thereof; or a method in combination with the both methods.

[0010] Besides, in case of using crushed colorful natural rocks as the aesthetic grains, the mean diameter (A) of such aesthetic grains is preferably not greater than 10 mm and the grain size distribution is preferably such that grains within the range of 0 < A ≦ 1 mm account for 70 to 30% (by weight; the same applies hereinafter), those in the range of 1 < A ≦ 5 mm account for 30 to 70%, and those in the range of 5 < A≦ 10 mm account for 0 to 10%. Further, one to seven kinds of coloring material are used.

[0011] As mentioned above, in accordance with the invention, a pattern transfer mat wherein a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are distributed on its effective surface through an adhesive layer whose binding force is decreased by absorbing water is employed and concrete material is cast against the effective surface of the mat, and the binding force of the adhesive layer is decreased by water of the concrete material and the aesthetic grains are transferred and embedded onto the concrete surface thereby, at the same time, three-dimensional pattern form of a concrete surface can be obtained by transferring the effective surface into the concrete surface. During curing and hardening after casting the concrete material as mentioned above, the aesthetic grains hold in the adhesive layer are transferred into a surface layer of the concrete material which under hardening and are embedded partially or wholly by decreasing the binding force of the adhesive layer by absorbing water of the concrete material. In this way, a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are embedded in a surface of a patterned concrete product, whereby colors such as natural-looking color and the like are appearing on the surface, and also its surface becomes natural-looking effective surface by transferring three-dimensional pattern. In this case, the aesthetic grains embedded in the surface layer are not tend to discolor or fade or undergo degradation with time, resulting in an excellent and long-term durability. Therefore, recoating and the like at certain intervals are not necessary in contrast to a prior art, resulting in decreasing the cost of maintenance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] 

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a pattern transfer mat as an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing a pattern transfer method using said pattern transfer mat;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing the step of parting the product concrete board;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing the conventional pattern transfer mat;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing the pattern transfer method using the above conventional pattern transfer mat; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the step of parting the product concrete board.

THE BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Example

[0013] Referring to Fig. 1 which shows a pattern transfer mat embodying the principles of the invention, the pattern transfer mat 1 is made of rigid polyurethane foam. Like the prior art mat, it consists of a foam core layer 2 and an integral skin layer 3 on its surface. One three-dimensional pattern surface 4 of this pattern transfer mat 1 is a smooth profiled surface, while the other surface is a flat back surface 7. The surface 4 is first coated with a water-soluble methylcellulose adhesive to deposit a binding layer 5 with a thickness of 0.1 - 5 mm. To this binding layer, a multiplicity of colorful natural rock grains 6 are bonded by a pressure-spray method. Using the above pattern transfer mat 1, concrete material 15 is cast and allowed to cure in the per se routine manner as illustrated in Fig. 5. Then, as shown in Fig. 6, the pattern transfer mat 1 is detached from the concrete structure 18. The resulting concrete structure 18 has a marble-like colored surface pattern on the aesthetic three-dimensional pattern surface 8 wherein said natural rock aesthetic grains 6 are distributed.

Claims

1. A method of patterning a concrete surface which comprises preparing a pattern transfer mat wherein a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are distributed on its undulating transfer surface through an adhesive layer whose binding force is decreased by absorbing water, casting concrete material against the undulating transfer surface of said mat, decreasing the binding force of the adhesive layer by water of the concrete material, transfering and embedding the aesthetic grains onto the concrete surface thereby, and forming the concrete surface into a three-dimensional pattern surface by transfering the undulating transfer surface.

2. A pattern transfer mat in which a multiplicity of aesthetic grains are distributed on an undulating transfer surface through an adhesive layer whose binding force is decreased by absorbing water.

Drawing